UTILITY has become a buzzword in the car world and Vauxhall has just added a new dimension to the concept.
It's called Flex Organiser and it has made the Vectra estate one of the most practical cars on the market.
Not content with just creating a load lugger of considerable proportions when the Vectra got stretched, the Vauxhall designers have added a touch of brilliance.
Whatever needs to be carried - from a ten foot length of wood to the weekly shop - can be accommodated easily and securely.
Flex Organiser is a clever partitioning system based on a series of rods and netting which can be set up in the cargo area in a variety of ways.
Stowed under the luggage compartment floor it can be folded out in less than two minutes to form an almost endless variety of compartments of differing sizes to take virtually any shape and keep it in position.
It is smart, convenient and very functional - and makes the Vectra estate one of the most versatile cars around.
And as big estates go, it is also a bit of a bargain. This top range three-litre V6 diesel in Elite trim costs £25,495 and comes fully kitted.
At that price it is about the same as a basic Volvo V70, £10,000 cheaper than a similarly equipped Mercedes E-Class estate and a grand less than a top specification three-litre diesel Saab 9-5 - General Motors' other large estate in the UK.
Leather upholstery, satellite navigation and dual zone climate control are all part of the Vectra package - and the diesel engine is rather good as well.
Developing 177bhp it is capable of a claimed 138mph, 0 to 60 in 8.8 seconds and it will average almost 40 miles to the gallon.
The engine was a bit on the smokey side under acceleration - and that is just not acceptable in these days of high-tech diesels. That said, there is plenty of pulling power and it complements the heavy duty ability of this estate.
This is a big car, even as estates go. Almost 15 feet long it has a maximum cargo capacity of 66 cubic feet. Even with all seats in use there is almost 20 cu ft to play with and none of that has been achieved at the expense of passenger space.
There is a huge amount of head and leg room in the rear as well as a few comfort touches in the shape of individual rear vents and retractable sun blinds.
Three point seatbelts all round and a full set of front and side airbags are part of the safety package as are traction control and advanced braking systems.
This car was also fitted with Vauxhall's "look round corners" headlamp system. That is a first as estate cars go and only BMW has similar technology and that is on the German's more expensive saloons.
It works by moving the headlight beam as the car corners and Vauxhall's system - unlike BMW's - uses supplementary side lamps which switch on during the manoeuvre to plug any dark spots. On unlit country lanes it is highly effective and a great boon to road safety.
Pound for pound this car takes some beating.
Not only is it one of the best estates around at the moment, but with this level of equipment it is about as good as you can get - very, very clever and very, very impressive.
FAST FACTS
Vauxhall Vectra Estate 3.0 CDTi Elite
Price: £25,495
Mechanical: 177bhp, 2,958cc, 6cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via a 6-spd manual gearbox
Max Speed: 138mph
0-60mph: 8.8secs
Combined mpg: 38.7
Insurance Group: 12
CO2 emissions: 197g/km
BiK rating: 28%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 6yrs antirust, 3yrs paint